PlantFiles: Greater Periwinkle
Vinca major

I have both vinca major and minor in my yard. Vinca major is the much more invasive of the two, growing over it's smaller sibling anywhere the two meet. Let me put it this way: you know a plant is invasive when it chokes out the baby bamboo that's randomly growing in your flower bed... I've pulled out a pile that overflowed a wheelbarrow, but unfortunately that was just one 10 x 2 ft area.

Living tendrils are difficult to remove from the ground, as they have an extensive and spidery root system. Any root that remains with most assuredly grow into a new plant. As hard as they are to deal with, they're still easier than the dead tendrils found underneath: these dry into cord-like whips that seem even more tightly rooted than their living counterparts.

To be so invasive, this plant reacts very poorly to the hot and dry summer days in my area: the thin leaves wilt easliy leaving me with mounds of what almost look like wilted lettuce greens. While I like the larger flowers of v. major, I much prefer the foliage on v.minor: the leaves are smaller, more closely spaced, darker, and hold up better in the summer.

Horribly invasive even when completely neglected. Roundup won't touch it, and digging makes only a small dent as the tiniest piece of root will continue to spread. Also loves to hide in other plants. My liriope is infested with vinca now. It does have pretty new foliage and blooms in February here, but by summer's heat it's just a tangle of vines, some 15 feet long. Will also jump any edging to take over your lawn. If you're in zone 7, please reconsider before adding this one - or come to my house with a shovel and large truck.

Greater Periwinkle Vinca major is naturalized in Texas and other States and is considered an invasive plant in Texas.

I bought a flat of periwinkle b/c I saw a large shaded bank covered with them in Santa Paula CA. So I just planted part of the flat (42plants) Under my trees. Hoping they will become groundcover without having to bring irrigation specifically to them. There are some drip hoses here and there and some might get some water from the grass sprinklers. I will report back. I hope they go everywhere. I am in zone 10b San Diego county.

Works well as a ground cover under white oak trees on the south and west side of the house. It coexists well with the interplanted ferns, hostas, Solomon seal and spring bulbs.

Vinca major is invasive in riparian (streambank) areas in California and other Western US states. Problems it causes are displacement of native species, erosion and bank destabilization, and it is a host for the insect pests blue-green and glassy-winged sharpshooters, which carry Peirce's disease, a pathogen of vineyards and orchards.
See [HYPERLINK@www.cal-ipc.org]
The alternative, vinca minor ,is a better choice for landscaping in these regions- it is not invasive. If you have this plant in your landscape, please try to keep it from spreading into the riparian areas.

Grows great on the north side of my house in full shade and on the south side in full sun. Doesn't take much to keep the runners under control.

I have the variegated form of this plant growing as a ground cover in one of my flower beds. It is spreading, as desired, and currently in bloom. It provides an interesting, low-growing background for my other plants.

This plant can become very invasive however if caught early it is easy to eradicate. It is primarily grown for its flowers however it is sometimes grown for its foliage. Very drought tolerant. pokerboy.

Very invasive in this climate (low-elevation, non-desert southern California) and very hard to get rid of. Has naturalized in the wild.